THE dreaded African Swine Flu (ASF) is fast spreading in towns, now numbering 35 of 47 towns and one city, inflicting the fragile Php4 billion small-scale hog industry in Bohol.
The ASF is a national concern, said Department of Agriculture Undersec. Jerome Oliveros during the dialogue between DA officials and provincial government with Gov. Aris Aumentado and provincial agriculture officials.
He urged officials here to look into the situation expeditiously and get inputs from municipal agriculture officers. He shared that there is this newly formulated ASF vaccine implemented in Vietnam but the test result was very low and this may not applicable here.
The dialogue ensued after Aumentado requested it so DA could extend assistance to get rid of the hog disease. But still, it’s the hog raisers or people to report it immediately and follow certain protocols like no to bringing of hog products or live from ASF infected areas based on his executive order he issued.
Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (OPV) reported that some 134 of the 244 barangay mostly affected are now declared ASF-free for over 30 days of containment as biosecurity measures have been and continue to be implemented.
As of end of July, there were 10,911 hogs being depopulated in a bid to control the disease. This adversely affected some 2,488 households.
The provincial government here compensated the affected hog growers. It paid Php6,519,000.00 to 1,522 households for 6,290 hogs. It also paid Php1,391,000 to 966 households 4,621 hogs (@ Php10,000 each), including 1,391 piglets culled.
Officer-in-charge provincial veterinarian Meydallyn D. Paman said in interview that had only the affected hog growers reported immediately their sick pigs the contamination could have been prevented. Early detection of suspected hog contamination is important, she added.
Meanwhile, mitigating and biosecurity measures continue, like ongoing systematic disinfection of infected premises, depopulation of infected hogs and movement control by installing check points in the barangays.
Capacitating the local government units like training in ASF rapid testing with two ASF test machines for case confirmation and corresponding faster action. The accreditation for board-for-hire services artificial insemination and hg traders are ongoing to ensure ASF safety standards compliance and education/information drive, Paman said.
In an updated data, the most affected are barangays located in the towns Maribojoc and Valencia with 11 barangays apiece; Catigban, 10 barangays; Lila, nine barangays; and Mabini and Pres. Carlos P. Garcia with eight barangays each.
The moderately affected barangays are those in the towns of Alicia with six barangays; Ubay and Getafe, five each; Inabanga, three; Candijay, Sevilla, Bien-Unido, Carmen and Dauis, two barangays each.
The least affected barangay are those located in the towns of Talibon, Tubigon, Buenavista, Loon, Calape, Dagohoy, Danao, Anda, Corella, Loay, Loboc, San Miguel, Jagna, Garcia-Hernandez and this capital city. (rvo)
